K-Book Trends -

Search word : "Humanities", Search result : 269

[TREND / ONE-LINER QUOTES]

One-liner Quotes Korean Science Fiction Today 2026.02 A narrative is composed of events, characters, and a setting of time and space. That is what we are taught. In traditional storytelling, the events were paramount. However, at some point, character-driven narratives began to take center stage.In genres such as sitcoms or animations, events only materialize through the existence of the characters; the plot is merely the consequence of their action.Conversely, in storytelling for content like video games, “world-building” — the specific time and space that shapes a world — has become the priority.Worlds that are entirely alien to our reality, or those with overlapping or inverted rules, provide the necessary plausibility for their characters and events. Similarly in literature, genres such as fantasy...

VOL.91 / 2026.02

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Korean Publishing Market Trends in 2025 and Outlook for 2026

Topic Korean Publishing Market Trends in 2025 and Outlook for 2026 2026.01.05 Trends in 2025: A Year of Digital Transformation and Practical, Stability-Oriented Content In 2025, Korea’s publishing market underwent noticeable shifts in the ways readers discovered, selected, and consumed books, as digital transformation accelerated and social and economic uncertainty deepened. On the surface, the overall market size appeared relatively stable. Beneath that stability, however, structural changes became increasingly clear: the number of new titles grew significantly, while the average print run per title declined. As supply expanded, the actual market reach secured by individual titles continued to narrow. These changes were further shaped by the expansion of generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) and intensified competition from OTT (Over-the-Top) platforms. Together, t...

VOL.90 / 2026.01

[TREND / KNOWLEDGE]

The Expansion of Korea’s Picture Book Market

Knowledge The Expansion of Korea’s Picture Book Market 2026.01.05 At some point, Korean picture books began making headlines. Korean authors are now frequent winners of Italy’s Bologna Ragazzi Award, one of the most prestigious prizes in the field. They have also produced award recipients of the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB) Award?one of the world’s oldest international picture book festivals, launched in 1967?as well as Sweden’s Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, often described as the Nobel Prize in children’s literature; the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest honor bestowed upon authors and illustrators of children’s literature; and France’s most prestigious children’s literature prize, the Prix Sorci?res. Plus, countless Korean picture books have been exported to countries around the world, earning the love of readers internationally. Most importantly, picture books have become central to Korea’s reading culture, ...

VOL.90 / 2026.01

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Life and Community Built Through Books: Gochang Book Village

Topic Life and Community Built Through Books: Gochang Book Village 2025.11.03 In Gochang, Jeonbuk State, there is “Gochang Book Village (고창서점마을).” Officially opened on October 11, 2025, it is Korea’s first village of bookstores, bringing together six independent bookstores that each specialize in distinct genres - philosophy, graphic novels, ecology, travel, and picture books. Why, in an era when even large bookstores in bustling cities struggle to survive, did these individuals gather in a small rural town? Lee Yoon-Ho (이윤호), the village head, recounts how Gochang Book Village - created by a diverse group of people including literary critics, planners, and teachers who dreamed of England’s famous book town Hay-on-Wye - came into being. View of Gochang Book Village How Gochang Book Village was born The creation of Gochang Book Village began by chance....

VOL.88 / 2025.11

[TREND / KNOWLEDGE]

The Frontline of K-Book Copyright Exports: Ten Years of the “Visiting Korean Book Fair”

Knowledge The Frontline of K-Book Copyright Exports:Ten Years of the “Visiting Korean Book Fair” 2025.11.03 The “Visiting Korean Book Fair (찾아가는 도서전)” is a project jointly hosted and organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST) and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA) to reinforce the global competitiveness of Korean publishing content and promote the export of publications. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the “Visiting Korean Book Fair” has participated in book fairs around the world, supporting copyright consultations and publication contracts for Korean literature, and serving as a stepping stone for the ongoing globalization of K-Literature. This article reflects on the past ten years of the “Visiting Korean Book Fair” - its activities and the significance it has built over the decade. The Year 2025: Accelerating the advancement of Korean books into North Ame...

VOL.88 / 2025.11

[TREND / SPECIAL PROJECT]

A City on the Mirror-Like Surface of Water: Stockholm

Special Project [New Ways of Walking Through Cities ⑧] A City on the Mirror-Like Surface of Water: Stockholm 2025.08.04 The nickname “Venice of Scandinavia” is not quite accurate for Stockholm. While Stockholm and Venice share a common ground in that they are both comprised of several islands and countless bridges connecting them, Stockholm is much smaller and quieter than Venice. People in Stockholm are adept at having conversations without much gesturing, while naturally maintaining an appropriate distance between themselves. However, in the summer, especially in August, the city transforms into a completely different place. The sun shines on the city well past nine in the evening, and people smile and chat with each other at a slightly closer distance than usual. It might be in an outdoor caf?, or on a boat rocking gently, or on the steps of Stockholm City Hall, where the Nobel P...

VOL.85 / 2025.08

[TREND / EXPORT CASE]

How Korean Essays Captured the Hearts of Japanese Female Readers

Export Case How Korean Essays Captured the Hearts ofJapanese Female Readers 2025.08.04 Korean books in the Japanese publishing industry are more dynamic than translations from any other language. There are a wide variety of genres, including fiction, poetry, non-fiction, humanities, self-help, and learning materials, all available in a large number of titles. This is something that translators and publishers in other languages envy. This article focuses on the non-fiction (essay) genre and examines the recent trends of readers in Japan and the reasons for the popularity of Korean essays. The “K-Healing essay” reaches Japanese readers I Decided to Live as Me (Clay House) became a bestseller as soon as it was translated and published in Japan in late 2018. To date, it has sold over 600,000 copies, making it the best-selling essay collection of all time. This was followed by I Want to Die But I Also Want to Eat Tteokppokki (HEUN) and I Almost L...

VOL.85 / 2025.08

[TREND / ONE-LINER QUOTES]

Conditions for Timeless Books

One-Liner Quotes Conditions for Timeless Books Korean book critic’s pick 2025.07.07 Lee Kwon-Woo is a book critic who has devoted himself to reading the vast number of books published to date and selecting those that hold value for our society to share, spreading the knowledge of these books far and wide. His books include Master of Book Reading: Homo Bookers (Odos Books), Writing Class Beginning From Reading Books (Hankyoreh Publishing Company), Reading of Discovery (Odos Books). Having made reading books my profession, I look back and realize that I have read countless books. Although my major was literature, my interests leaned toward the humanities, and I also developed an interest in science, in line with the trends of the time. Most of the books I read were translations, but I also encountered some notable works by Korean authors. I was always delighted to read books by authors who could write about profound topics in a way that was ac...

VOL.84 / 2025.07

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60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Korea and Japan: Today and Tomorrow of the Publishing Trade

Topic 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations betweenKorea and Japan: Today and Tomorrow of the Publishing Trade 2025.06.02 This year marks the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation (1910-1945) and the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries since 1965, when they restored diplomatic relations. In Korea, there is a tradition of celebrating the 60th birthday of a person with great festivity, and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries is also considered an important milestone. As such, while various commemorative events are taking place, the publishing sector will be organizing Korean book exhibitions, exchanges between Korean and Japanese authors and publishers, and special sales of translated Korean books in Japanese bookstores in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency o...

VOL.83 / 2025.06

[TREND / KNOWLEDGE]

Your Good Sense of Backing in Good Books

Knowledge Your Good Sense of Backing in Good Books Based on the example of online bookstore Aladin 2025.06.02 Why “Book Fund”? Online bookstore Aladin’s Book Fund program was first launched in 2012. The initial program allowed accounts to back up to 50,000 won to fund publishing projects. Publishers benefited by being able to raise money for pre-publication production costs, customers benefited by being able to earn up to 130% of their support back as bookstore credit if the book they funded became an overall bestseller, and booksellers benefited by being able to build an early audience of avid readers willing to support in upcoming titles. However, this design could not have a direct influence on the success of the book after publication, as it did not directly link the Book Fund to actual purchases of the book.In 2022, the web novel Return of the Blossoming Blade (Luff Media) was widely publicized in the media for its book f...

VOL.83 / 2025.06

VOL.93/2026.04

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